# How to rewax a meerschaum pipe



## blackop555 (Aug 13, 2009)

I recieved a very helpful email from Mrs. Beth Sermet of SMS Pipes regarding how to wax a meerschaum pipe.

Prepararation: 100% beeswax cakes -- confectionery quality
Old towel or cloth -- to prevent hot wax from 
dripping or spattering onto other surfaces
Hair dryer -- mutiple temparature and fan settings
Cotton swabs -- for brushing the melted beeswax
Polishing cloth -- soft white terry cloth towel or 
white flannel


STEP 1: Use a hair dryer set to hot temperature setting, but low air speed. 
Heat the beeswax cake to consistancy of lip balm.
Hold the pipe by the stem. Smear onto the bowl directly from the beeswax 
cake like lipstick. Do not touch the bowl with your fingers during any of 
the steps..

STEP 2: Continue to heat the a section of the surface of the bowl until the 
wax becomes liquid. Use the cotton swab like a brush to paint the area with 
a coating of wax. Push molten wax into crevices and hard to access areas. 
The swab may unravel as it absorbs excess wax. Coat the entire bowl surface 
evenly. CAUTION: Try to prevent wax from drippng into the tobacco hole since 
it will leave a bitter taste.

STEP 3: Heat the bowl again to allow complete absorption of the wax. Set 
the pipe down on the towl to cool.

STEP 4: After the bowl cools to room temperature. Buff the surface to a 
high gloss using a towel first then the flannel cloth for the final buffing. 
If the surface is tacky, too much wax is on the surface. Heat this area 
again and remove excess wax with a cotton swab and buff again.

STEP 5: Repeat when the surface becomes soiled or dull. Excessive waxing 
may cause too much wax accumulation (tacky surface and dripping).


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## jamesstew (Jul 26, 2009)

I rewaxed mine with Paragon wax and it worked really well and has a much higher melting point that beeswax. Great info though for doing it the traditional way.


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## blackop555 (Aug 13, 2009)

thanks for the tip. im sure those steps could be used with any wax.


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## jcats (Jul 29, 2008)

thank you for sharing


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## IrishCamel81 (Jan 26, 2009)

And where would one, if one so desired, locate confectionery beeswax?


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## indigosmoke (Sep 1, 2009)

IrishCamel81 said:


> And where would one, if one so desired, locate confectionery beeswax?


These guys have it. You'd probably have to buy a 50 gallon drum of it though.

Beeswax - Candelilla Wax - Caranuba - Paraffin - Microcrystalline


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## Ray (Jul 28, 2009)

I only have 1 Meer... when would you need to rewax a Meer? I thought you just pretty much left them alone to color.


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## IrishCamel81 (Jan 26, 2009)

Ray said:


> I only have 1 Meer... when would you need to rewax a Meer? I thought you just pretty much left them alone to color.


I handle mine quite a bit and I read that keeping the wax on helps with the coloring process.


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## Ray (Jul 28, 2009)

IrishCamel81 said:


> I handle mine quite a bit and I read that keeping the wax on helps with the coloring process.


Ok, good to know, Thanks!


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## pdmus (Jan 16, 2011)

This


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## pdmus (Jan 16, 2011)

I know this is a dumb question, but do you put the wax on the outside of the bowl, the inside of the bowl or both?

THANKS !


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## ultramag (Aug 23, 2007)

pdmus said:


> I know this is a dumb question, but do you put the wax on the outside of the bowl, the inside of the bowl or both?
> 
> THANKS !


No dumb questions. You gotta learn somehow. :tu

Outside only.


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## pdmus (Jan 16, 2011)

True, but the main thing is, do I put the beeswax on the outside of the bowl. the inside of the bowl or the entire thing?


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## ultramag (Aug 23, 2007)

ultramag said:


> No dumb questions. You gotta learn somehow. :tu
> 
> Outside only.


Still on the outside only. oke:


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## owaindav (Mar 7, 2010)

Ultramag that made me laugh out loud literally!

pdmus, not to be disrespectful because you just didn't see the extra line. But it was very amusing.

Great thread here!


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## pdmus (Jan 16, 2011)

OK, OK I confess!!! DOH!!!! I missed ultramag's clear answer to my dumb question! Well, in any case, I just found a nice cake of beeswax at Joanne's fabrics and just rewaxed my meerschaum... We''l see how it works.

And Thanks, ultramag for the answer!


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## shannensmall (Jun 30, 2010)

Very helpful, thanks for posting this.


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## indigosmoke (Sep 1, 2009)

Just thought I'd add for future reference. I found a great place to get beeswax at very cheap prices. I typed in local honey into google and found a couple of local a apiaries. I contacted one and got a big block of pure beeswax for $1.


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## pdmus (Jan 16, 2011)

Thanks, that is a great idea. Did you go to the apiary, which I guess is a beefarm - or did they ship to you. I think there might be such a place somewhere around where I am. Thanks for the tip.


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## owaindav (Mar 7, 2010)

That is a great idea! You can also get honey to make MEAD!


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## indigosmoke (Sep 1, 2009)

Yes, I did got to the apiary, which is a bee farm. It turned out it was only about 15 minutes from my house. Needless to say they had lots of cool stuff including honey, candles and beeswax. They also had combs and queens for those wanting to start their own bee farm, but I think this is more unusual.


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## CWL (Mar 25, 2010)

I've been waxing eBay estate Meers the lazy way. This works best on smooth and uncarved Meers.

I take a block of beeswax and rub it directly onto the outside of the Meer like you would coat something entirely with a crayon.

I then load & smoke the Meer by only holding onto the stem. As you smoke slowly, you will notice the wax melting and then get drawn into the Meer material as it heats up. Once finished, I let it cool completely down before polishing it with a cotton rag.

I'm not advocating anyone trying this, but it seems to work OK for me on my cheap ($9-40) estate Meers. I don't plan on doing this with my Forum 2010 pipe


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## pdmus (Jan 16, 2011)

About 10:30 pm. Sitting outside in my backyard, no lights. Smoking my (freshly waxed) meerschaum under the yellow light of the almost full moon. Completely clear sky, no clouds, no breeze. Orion is glorious! Chasing after the Pleiades, never able to catch those seven sisters. The smoke from my pipe slowly rises towards the stars, glowing in the moonlight and maybe from whatever light might be here from those distant suns.


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## indigosmoke (Sep 1, 2009)

pdmus said:


> About 10:30 pm. Sitting outside in my backyard, no lights. Smoking my (freshly waxed) meerschaum under the yellow light of the almost full moon. Completely clear sky, no clouds, no breeze. Orion is glorious! Chasing after the Pleiades, never able to catch those seven sisters. The smoke from my pipe slowly rises towards the stars, glowing in the moonlight and maybe from whatever light might be here from those distant suns.


Simply poetic! Sounds like pure pipe smoking bliss!


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## pdmus (Jan 16, 2011)

Pipe smoking is romantic! I started (in 1965) in high school. North Hollywood High. I had a friend who had a sailboat. On Wednesday, we would leave the valley, head out to Marina del Rey, sail the boat in the almost windless night and smoke our pipes. I think pipe smoking reminds me or us about those moments. I remember smoking my pipe in Bali, 1979, listening to the Gamelan late into the night. I like to think of the Indians, letting the smoke go up with wishes, hopes, dreams to the spirits!


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## RecoilRob (Jan 3, 2011)

You can also keep a chunk of beeswax handy while you are smoking, rubbing on the warm bowl as you go.


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## Mr. Moustache (Jan 23, 2011)

blackop555 said:


> I recieved a very helpful email from Mrs. Beth Sermet of SMS Pipes regarding how to wax a meerschaum pipe.
> 
> Prepararation: 100% beeswax cakes -- confectionery quality
> Old towel or cloth -- to prevent hot wax from
> ...


How extremely pertinent i just bought my first Meerschaum yesterday and have been doing alot of research on care for them. What are your cleaning practices?


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## Mr. Moustache (Jan 23, 2011)

Where is a good place to find quality beeswax? farmers markets?


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## pdmus (Jan 16, 2011)

I have no idea whether what I got is "quality" beeswax, but it is working on my meerschaum. It melts smoothly and covers the pipe nicely, it makes a good shine and the pipe is colouring nicely. . It is from Joanne's Fabrics, it is a small cake of beeswax in a round about 1 1/4" and 1/2 ' thick, in a very handy plastic holder. The holder is in 2 halves, so you can take one of the halves off and easily wax the pipe without touching the beeswax. The use in the "fabric world" is to wax the end of thread to make it easy to go thru a needle. It melts very nicely, either by heating up the pipe when smoking or rubbing on while the pipe is cold and heating with a hair dryer. It is inexpensive and works great. I tried to post a link, but you have to have 30 posts on puff forums to post a link, so if you go to Joannes's Fabrics and type in beeswax, it will show up.

Enjoy!


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## pipinho (Aug 27, 2011)

What i do is this:

I melt the wax via microwave or stove
heat the pipe slowly via stove (on the lowest setting and high enough so it gradually heats up) or dryer
brush melted wax on the meer
let meer soak up wax 
repeat 2~3 times

has worked like a charm for me.


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